Automotive lane deviation prevention apparatus

A method of preventing lane deviation of a host vehicle employing braking force actuators that adjust braking forces applied to respective road wheels, the method comprising:

• capturing a picture image in front of the host vehicle;
• searching for a lane marking line based on the captured picture image;
• detecting whether the host vehicle is traveling on predetermined irregularities formed on or close to either one of a left-hand side lane marking line and a right-hand side lane marking line of a driving lane that produce vibratory motion input into the host vehicle;
• in the event of detection of the lane marking line, determining whether the host vehicle tends to deviate from the driving lane and executing lane deviation prevention (LDP) control by which the host vehicle's lane deviation tendency is avoided, in presence of the host vehicle's lane-deviation tendency;
• when the host vehicle is traveling on the predetermined irregularities formed on or close to either one of the left-hand side lane marking line and the right-hand side lane marking line of the driving lane that produce vibratory motion input into the host vehicle, executing vehicle yawing motion control by feedback-control of the braking forces applied to the road wheels by which the host vehicle yaws away from a side position of the driving lane;
• in the event that there is no detection of a lane marking line and the vehicle is traveling on the predetermined irregularities formed on or in close proximity to either one of the left-hand side lane marking line and the right-hand side lane marking line of the driving lane, providing the vehicle a first desired yaw-moment controlled variable to avoid deviating from the driving lane;
• and
• in the event of the host vehicle's lane deviation tendency detected based on lane marking line detection, providing a second desired yaw-moment controlled variable to avoid deviating from the driving lane and, if the vehicle is traveling on the predetermined irregularities formed on or close to either one of the left-hand side lane marking line and the right-hand side lane marking line of the driving lane, correcting the second desired yaw-moment controlled variable to a large value.